BURLINGTON, Ia. — Returning to Iowa on Wednesday, Joe Biden said President Donald Trump "has fanned the flames of white supremacy" in his response to mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

Police say the white man who carried out the shooting in El Paso posted a hate-filled racist missive online and traveled to the largely Hispanic city to target victims based on their race.

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden meets with people after speaking at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is introduced at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden arrives at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden poses for a photo with an audience member during a community event, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Burlington, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall, AP

Former Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden, and Sen. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, watch the welcome video recorded for new American citizens by President Trump following the Iowa Cubs’ annual citizenship ceremony on July 4, 2019. Olivia Sun/The Register

Former Vice President and current democratic presidential candidate hopeful Joe Biden energized supporters during a campaign stop in Des Moines on Wednesday, April 30, 2019. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Former Vice President and current democratic presidential candidate hopeful Joe Biden poses for a selfie with supporters following his speech during a campaign stop in Des Moines on Wednesday, April 30, 2019. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to a crowd of people on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the Grand River Conference Center in Dubuque. This is Biden's first trip to Iowa after announcing his run for president. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to a crowd of people on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the Grand River Conference Center in Dubuque. This is Biden's first trip to Iowa after announcing his run for president. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to a crowd of people on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the Grand River Conference Center in Dubuque. This is Biden's first trip to Iowa after announcing his run for president. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Former Vice President Joe Biden takes a selfie after speaking to a crowd of people on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids. This is Biden's first trip to Iowa after announcing his run for president. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to a crowd of people on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids. This is Biden's first trip to Iowa after announcing his run for president. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to a crowd of people on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids. This is Biden's first trip to Iowa after announcing his run for president. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Former Vice President Joe Biden shakes hands with people who came to hear him speak on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids. This is Biden's first trip to Iowa after announcing his run for president. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Former United States Vice President Joe Biden fires up Democratic voters during a rally for gubernatorial candidate Fred Hubbell and first congressional district candidate Abby Finkenauer during a speech in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

As he has done frequently from the campaign trail, Biden also referenced a 2017 neo-Nazi and far-right protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, where one man killed a woman who was among a group of counter-protesters. After the 2017 event, Trump said there were "very fine people" on both sides, a statement that Biden often cites as the moment he decided to run for president.

"In both clear language and in code, this president has fanned the flames of white supremacy in this nation," Biden said.

Trump: Biden 'sooo boring.' Biden: Trump should 'get a life.'

Trump tweeted that he watched Biden's speech and found it, "sooo boring."

"Watching Sleepy Joe Biden making a speech. Sooo Boring! The LameStream Media will die in the ratings and clicks with this guy. It will be over for them, not to mention the fact that our Country will do poorly with him. It will be one big crash, but at least China will be happy!" the president tweeted.

Watching Sleepy Joe Biden making a speech. Sooo Boring! The LameStream Media will die in the ratings and clicks with this guy. It will be over for them, not to mention the fact that our Country will do poorly with him. It will be one big crash, but at least China will be happy!

Trump's tweet came as the president was scheduled to visit Dayton to see the victims of that shooting, as well as law enforcement and medical personnel. Trump also visited El Paso on Wednesday.

Referencing Trump's remarks on Monday, Biden accused Trump of dodging the issue of guns. Biden said he would put in place an assault weapons ban and institute a buyback program for the federal government to purchase weapons whose owners volunteer to get rid of them.

"He says guns are not the problems in mass shootings. The issue is mental health. It’s a dodge. Hatred isn’t a mental health issue," Biden said, calling for a new law to focus on fighting domestic terrorism.

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Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden signs a photo after speaking at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is introduced at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden meets with people after speaking at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden jumps up onto a bench while speaking at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden listen to him speak at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden arrives at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden poses for a photo at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden poses for a photo at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged the overflow crowd outside while he speaks at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

A wall is painted with a large pair of sunglasses and the phrase "I'm ridin with Biden" after Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden spoke at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

A table of merchandise supporting Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is pictured at a field office opening, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in a retail space in Kennedy Plaza off of Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

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Biden: Past presidents have united the nation. Not this one.

Biden's speech also referenced moments when past presidents have united the country to oppose hatred after moments of crisis, including President George W. Bush's visit to a mosque after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and President Barack Obama's eulogy in Charleston, South Carolina, after a white gunman killed nine black worshipers at a Bible study.

"Sadly, we don’t have that today," Biden said. "Our president has aligned himself with the darkest forces in this nation. And that makes winning the battle for the soul of our nation that much tougher."

Bob Bennet, 82, a retired community college president from Burlington, said he liked Biden's speech and thinks the former vice president has a vision of what the country should be about.

"But I think he needs to shift a bit and talk more about what he’s going to do when he’s president," Bennett said. "Not so much about what Trump is doing because we all know that he’s doing wrong things. We need to hear what he’s going to do."

Jaan Sturgis, 66, of Burlington said he agreed with Biden's comments unequivocally and said he doesn't believe the country has had a president as awful as Trump in his lifetime.

"The Bushes, even Nixon did not embarrass me as much as this president has," said Sturgis, the secretary for the Des Moines County Democrats, who is retired and used to own a rental housing business.

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